Visions of crystal
by chillzdevine
Summary: "My wish was selfish, I wished to go to Pulse" "Well, I'll make sure your wish comes true then", Grace never expected to become a L'cie, but then again she didn't expect to be in the purge either, "not that it matters now, forget what happens to me, I just want to keep my friends and family safe". HopeXocGrace and VanilleXocRon . "I hate this chocobo music". please review
1. the warpath home

_**Grace**_

"It's over. It's all over" some random person said. I frowned slightly.

"We're just gonna die anyway" one woman said holding the hand of a small child.

"But I don't wanna die mommy" she cried, tears started to pour down her cheeks.

I sighed. Everyone was lossing confidence. Lydia said it's probably because everyone was most likely tired. And just to prove a point, at that exact second Hollow fell asleep hugging her moogle toy close.

"You all okay?" someone asked. We all looked up. Standing there was Snow Villiers, my friend's fiancee, followed by NORA. I agreed with Lightning, my friend's sister, that their name was stupid. The youngest of the group fell over, all the weapons he was holding spilling out onto the ground. "Hey, careful with those" the kid let out a small chuckle. "Don't worry, no one moving to pulse today. We'll clear you a path out of here, so be ready to-"

"Wait! Let me fight with you!"

"Yeah, you can't expect us to just sit here!"

"Please. Let us help."

There was a explosion behind NORA. "Okay then. Volunteers front and center" Snow finaly told us. I stood up and went to pick up a rifle, if it wasn't for the gloved hand pulling me back. "And what do you think your doing. Serah would never let me live it down if you got hurt, or even killed" Snow said, pushing me back towards the others.

"Pleaseeee, I can fight, you know I can, I'll use any weapon you give me, the army's no mach for NORA, right" I said quickly trying to smile innocently, hopefully coniving him.

I failed terribly.

"Nope, your staying here" he told me again "if you really want to help, keep'em safe." He nodded his head in the direction of the people with lost looks on their faces. It was depressing to say the least.

"meh... Fine" I muttered walking over to the now awake Hollow. I didn't pay attention to much else until Hollow hit my cheek. "Ow, what the hell Hollow?"

"Lydia and Free are volunteering!" She told me panicked. I looked at the NORA recruits and almost immediately spotted Lydia preparing her bow and Free aruging with the blue haired dude about how he should stay here.

"Alright, last one. Somebody take it" Snow anonced holding a gun in the air before holding out for a boy to take it; but he just moved away from it mumberling something. The girl behind him kneeled up and opened her arms.

"Here!" she said, Snow hesitated before handing her the weapon.

"Push comes to shove, help Grace keep'em safe" he nodded towards me and winked at the both of us. I rolled my eyes. The girl looked at me then back at the gun, and then aimed it at Snow.

"Bang!" she pretended to shoot Snow and Snow pretended to be shot.

"All right, lay low and you'll be fine. We'll clear out the area." More soldiers started to run up towards us. "We're going home together!" after he said that there was a awkward silence.

"Come on! Everybody up!" the girl with black hair shouted at us. I couldn't be bothered to learn the members Of NORA's names. Most of us stood up for no apparent reason. The girl who was now holding the gun walked over to me and Hollow.

"Hi! I'm Vanille! And you are?" she asked holding out one of her hands for me to shake.

"I'm Grace Hills" I shook her hand "and this is my little sister Hollow"

"Hi!" she also shook Vanille's hand "And this is Pumpkin" she told her, gestering towards the toy moogle she was hugging. She then took the Moogle's small arm and placed it into Vanille's palm to shake. Vanille agreed, and shook Pumpkin's arm.

"Nice to meet you!" Vanille seemed to be very happy for some reason. Her and Hollow would get along just fine.

"Alright everybody, Follow us" Blue head said leading us somewhere 'safe'. But in the middle of this mess, I highly doubt that it would be anymore safe then where we just were.

**XOXOX**

_**Lydia**_

I Was firing arrows as fast as possible while not sacraficing aim. At the moment I was regreting not taking one of the guns while I could have.

"To your right!" someone shouted at me. I quickly changed the way I was facing and shot the soldier that was aiming at my forehead.

"Watch out!" I didn't have enogh time to react when a Patheron pounced at me. I lost hold of my bow as it knocked me down onto the ground. I moved my arm to its neck as it tried to bite my throat.

"SIS!" next thing I knew someone was shooting at it until it went limp. Whoever just helped me kicked its corpse off me and handed me my bow. I looked up and saw the face of my little brother.

"Free! What are you doing here!" I sceamed at him. I pulled him to the side and out of the enermy's line of fire.

"I wanted to help" he replied and I rolled my eyes.

"Mobilize beta force! Put down the resistance!" a soldier shouted, firing bullets into the air. A ship came down close to us but didn't land, instead it let a Beta Behemoth jump off of it.

"You still happy you tagged along" I asked Free, aiming a arrow at its paw –I guess you could call it a paw- as it charged towards us. I let it fly and it hit its mark. The Behemoth let out a loud shriek before landing on said paw causing it more pain. It let out a roar of anger, annoyence and pain –I'm guessing- and Free went trigger happy –most likely scared. When all his ammo was gone he threw the weapon at the beast before reaching behind him. He pulled out a weapon that looked like one of those razors a Greater Behemoth would use. Snow and his flame headed friend started to actually help. The Behemoth swiped Snow away but you could tell it was tired. I sent a arrow straight into its neck. Blood started to leak from the wound as the creature started to stagger around trying to swipe the arrow out of its neck. Free took advantage of this and sliced its throat open. It was a grim sight.

"Move up!" Flame head shouted as we ran behind some rubble further up the path. We were doing well so far; and we would have continued to do so if it wasn't for that damn ship. It halved our numbers in about three seconds."Snow! We got trouble!"

"No kidding" Snow said. He started to stare at something.

"Snow, what's the- Snow!" Free shouted as Snow ran out and right into the ship's line of fire. He dived for something but I couldn't see what. Whatever it was he missed completely, and since he was out the way I could see it. "Rocket launcher!" Free spotted it as well. The woman next to us ran forward. I could see one of the ship's turrents turning to aim at her. I let two arrows fly at them, blocking them. It gave her time to fire a rocket straight at the bridge.

"Stay here, alright" I told Free a small bit of venom creeping into my voice. I ran towards Snow and the lady. Just as I arrived a explosion sounded behind me before I could feel the force pushing me to the ground and the heat burning my back. I blacked out for a couple of secconds and when I came to all I could hear was screaming. I turned around and saw everybody falling.

"Lydia!" I turned my head to see Free holding onto the side of the walkway.

"I'm fine-" I shouted back just as the walkway I was sitting on jolted and I started to tumble down. I grabbed hold of the edge before I fell down onto the walkway that was down below or even Lake Bresha for that matter.

"LYDIA!" Free shouted in alarm. I was too shocked to reply. I put all my remaining strengh to pull myself up but I couldn't. Snow fell down next to me, one hand holding the edge, and the other holding the lady's hand. She looked limp. She told Snow something before she gave up. I could see she was slipping from his grip.

"_Moms are tough"_

Can't let her fall. She did slip and I found myself lunging towards her, reaching out to grab her wrist. My other started to slip and I found myself falling.

"Lydi-AAAAA" I looked up as much as I could and saw the body of the bioweapon slide down and hit Free causing him to fall as well. There was a tiny scream and I looked up even more. There was a small child in a purge robe holding a toy moogle.

**XOXOX**

_**Hollow**_

I was screaming and I don't know why. I never scream. I didn't even know how to scream. But sis was falling. She kept falling until I couldn't see her anymore. I like seeing sis, she looks like mum, and I look like dad. Our actural mum and dad, not Grace's mum and dad, or Free's, or Diana's, or Faith's. Where is Faith?

I went to step forward but there was nothing there.

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

"Hollow!" I shouted alarmed at the fact that Hollow was about to follow Lydia. I grabbed hold of her and pulled her back. I looked at her face, it was just blank. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. Her face turned to me but still stayed blank. "Vanille, can you look after her" I asked Vanille. She walked over to us and when she saw Hollow she frowned for the first time. She nodded.

"Come on sweetie" She grabbed Hollow's hand led her away followed by the boy she brought along. I looked at the broken path and felt guilty.

All of this started because of the Pulse Fal'cie and it's L'cie.

Me and Serah.


	2. What to do?

"_Thanks for coming with me to the vestige Grace" Serah said happily. She looked as though she was skipping slightly._

"_No problem, I've always wanted to see what the vestige is like" I replied. I was staying at my Nan and Granddad's house with the others and they lived next to Serah and her sister, Lightning. Strange name, but then again I have a sister who's called Hollow and a brother named Free._

"_It's nice to not come here alone" Serah continued "Lightning and Snow are always busy, so it becomes a bit lonely"_

"_Well I'm here now, right" I told her, with a smile plastered across my face. There was only one annoying thing about this; we live on one side of Bodhum and the vestige is on the other. You never realise how large a city is until you have to cross it._

"_Are you going to the Fireworks?" she asked._

"_Yeah, my uncle's having a barbeque but me, Free, Hollow, Faith, Lydia and Ron are going to sneak out and go to the beach" I was getting tired but I could see the vestige. Serah looked at me and I guess she could tell I was tired._

"_Don't worry, Snow's gonna pick us up"_

"_Thank Etro!" I shouted, catching the attention of a couple of others. I didn't care; I embarrass myself all the time._

_We walked up to the vestige. It was the tallest building in Bodhum and was here since the War of Transgression. One of the pieces dragged up here from the world below to fix Cocoon. How this was fixing Cocoon I will never know, I mean it's just standing there._

"_How do we get to the door?" I asked._

"_Up that hill there" Serah answered pointing to a hill hidden behind the vestige and a strange fog like wall. She looked at me and smiled "we can take a break here if you want". I sighed in relief and spotted a van._

"_Ice cream's on me" I said._

_**oOo**_

"_Come on Grace, you can run faster than that!" Serah shouted at me._

"_No... I... can't!" I shouted back. She had somehow got me to run up the hill. I was just about ready to collapse when I reached the top. Not to mention she made me drop my bubblegum ice cream. She owes me 5 gil now._

"_What the? This door was never open before?" Serah asked like I would know the answer. She's the one who lives here. "Should we take a look inside?"_

"_Yep" I ran through the doorway and motioned her inside. I took the lead and wandered around. At one point I became utterly mortified; there was a house of stairs. I just walked across Bodhum, ran up a hill and now Etro expects me to climb up all these, never mind the fact that they are all messed up so they don't lead anywhere. I know I complaining a lot, but still._

_We somehow managed to make it to the top where a floating platform seemed to be. We both jumped on it and it started rising. As we got higher I felt tired, almost sleepy. I looked at Serah. She looked half asleep. I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds and when I opened them I wasn't on a rising platform anymore._

_I stared upwards looking at a giant crystal. It was beautiful. I was about to close my eyes again when a bright white light came from below me and hit the crystal. The crystal blew up and it turned into a giant. I looked around and saw Serah. She looked half dead. Glowing ropes began to wrap around her and I felt one crawling up my legs. I went to get it off but another grabbed my arms. I started to struggle like crazy. It did nothing but make the rope's hold tighter. It wrapped around my neck, threatening to strangle me. Another came at me and hit my collarbone. It hurt like a knife to the stomach and burned like hell. After that I blacked out. _

_Ragnarok, a crystallized planet, crystal statues coming to life, that's what I saw while I was sleeping. Why was that though?_

"_Grace! Can you hear me?" I woke up to the sound of Serah shouting at me. She looked panicked._

"_What's up" I asked as I realised I had the worst headache ever. Phoenix wasn't helping. Wait? Phoenix? Weren't we inside? Serah moved towards me and moved the hair from covering my collarbone._

"_Uh oh" she looked at her left arm and then showed me._

"_I don't get it" I told her trying to see my collarbone. I saw something black._

"_L'cie" Serah whispered "We're... We're branded by Pulse"_

_**oOo**_

"Grace?" Hollow asked poking me in the arm. I turned to her and smiled. I got to stop daydreaming about past events.

"Hello!" Vanille shouted making me jump. She kneeled down next to me. She had taken off her robe, so now I could see what she looked like. She had bright sunrise orange hair tied back in curled pigtails and bright grass green eyes. She had both her ears pierced and had small grey hoop earrings. She was wearing a light pink halter top, a yellow and orange skirt along with what seemed to be a bear pelt around the back, and yellow fur topped boots. She had three beaded necklaces, all sorts of beads decorating her outfit, and numerous bangles of all shades of silver. A smile was plastered on her face "are you all right?"

"I'm fine" I told her as I stood up. She stood up as well and pulled me into a hug.

"It'll be okay, you'll see" She told me almost as if she hadn't heard me say I was fine. She pulled away and gave me another smile.

"Wait up!" both of us turned to see a boy with silver hair running towards us. He was wearing a orange and yellow short sleeved jacket with a blue-green scarf that had black details, a black shirt and black gloves with white palms, deep green cargo pants with a black storage pack hanging from a black belt over his left leg, and light green boots.

"Hey, good to see you made it" Vanille told him smiling. Does she ever stop smiling?

**XOXOX**

_**Free**_

"Owwww" I whined as snow lifted a chunk of metal of my arm. If it wasn't broken I'm going to be real shocked.

"I thought Yuj told you to stay with the others" Gadot said to me.

"I don't know why you're complaining, army's no match for NORA right" me and Gadot never really got along.

"Whatever, our target is over there. Three aero bikes we can use to get back to the others" Snow told us. We made a beeline for them, trying to be as quite as possible for Preemptive strikes. It was only when we got close to the bike that we came up with a plan. Well sort of a plan. Gadot just jumped round the corner after Snow signaled him to go. I kicked one to make sure it was dead before climbing into mine.

"That's a sad sound" Gadot said as her started up the engine "Where's the soul?"

"Hey Gadot. If you don't know who to save, you just protect them all, right?" Snow asked leaning out of the bike and looking at the vestige.

"Something on your mind? You got plenty of time for thinking on the way Hero" Gadot replied. I couldn't hear anymore of the conversation since I was trying to focus on getting my bike in the air. It was the sound of the other bikes that made me look up. They were leaving me.

"Hey wait!" I shouted. I started pressing all the buttons "Work you stupid thing" I screamed before pressing the yellow button before remembering something Maqui told me.

"_Never press the yellow button"_

**XOXOX**

_**Lydia**_

My Head hurts. A lot. And I was seeing three of everything. I picked the sight I thought was right and started walking down the path. I walked straight into a pile of rubble. I ended up drinking my only potion. Great, now I was seeing only one of everything, sort of. I looked at the mountain of rubble behind me and then the pile in front. I would have to climb it.

There was a scream above me and I looked up. A aero bike was going out of control. All you could see of the rider was blonde hair and a long dark green scarf. Well it's good to see Free is alive. Maybe not for long, but still it's nice to see him. I checked I still had my bow. Yep still there. I started moving; aiming for the place Free had just left for.

It was uneventful really, boring even. Until...

"What the-" I said shocked. Lightning stood there before running off. "Lightning! Wait!" I was about to chase her but some guy fell in front of me where Lightning had. "Hey are you Okay?" I asked him, helping him stand.

"Yeah I'm fine, just don't know how to keep up with her" he pointed at Lightning's figure which was now getting smaller and smaller.

"Can I come with you guys?" I asked again

"You might not want to, since we're heading to the Pulse Fal'cie" he answered.

"No problem. Come on or she'll leave us behind!" I started to run after Lightning leaving him just muttering to himself before shouting at us to wait up.

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

I was shocked to see Snow and Flame head alive. But it did annoy me. Why should he get to live but others didn't? But thought against that. Let him live for Serah.

"That's the one" the silver haired boy said next to me.

"Didn't you have something to tell him?" Vanille asked walking up next to him.

"Yeah"

"All right then!"

"But... I..."

"Grace will go with you"

"I will?" I asked. When did I say I would go with him to talk to Snow?

"You have something to tell him too, don't you?" Vanille asked in return. I shook my head. Where did she get the idea I was upset? "Fine, I'll go with you"

"What?"

The sound of another aero bike caught my attention. I looked back and saw one flying out of control while the blonde kid from NORA was shouting at its driver. I'm pretty sure that when I saw the driver I stopped breathing.

"Free!" Hollow shouted at the top of her lungs. She quickly ran over to him -when he finally landed- and practically tackled him. I finally stopped staring when the boy Vanille was talking to was pushed into my shoulder by Vanille.

"Are you going talk to him or do I have to drag you" I asked him, the thought of pulling him by the orange part of his jacket over to Snow was appealing. He didn't reply and I went to grab his arm but Vanille shook her head and walked out in front of us.

"Hey!" She shouted trying to catch NORA's attention. But instead Snow just started up the aero bike and flew off to the vestige. "Wait!" Vanille shouted waving her arms "Come back!" it was then I noticed something; there was only one bike left.

"Wait!" I screamed following Vanille, who was running down the skybridge "Hollow! Free!"

"Uh oh" Vanille muttered. I looked at the bike they left behind before climbing in. "Grace, what are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like! I'm going after them!" I shouted at her harshly. I felt my brand burning as its stage advanced because of my heightened emotions. "Sorry" I apologized "I'm just a bit annoyed-or a lot"

"Its okay" she gave me a smile before leaning into the bike to see the control panel. "Hm? You okay?" I heard Vanille asked someone but I didn't bother to turn round and find out.

"I want to tell him, it's just that-"

...

"Say- you know how to fly this?"

"Yeah. I think so"

"All right!" why did I get the feeling she's going to do something that would make me embarrassed "in you go!" the boy from before suddenly ended up in my lap.

"Vanille!" I shouted surprised, probably blushing.

"Oops, sorry" she replied before pulling him up and pushing me backwards. She pushed him in again and sat behind me. "That way!" she told us pointing towards the vestige, and then wrapped her arms around my waist.

"No, no... If we go in there, that thing could- it could make us L'cie. This is... I don't think I can-" before he could finish Vanille grabbed hold of his hands on the controls, as if it wasn't cramped enough.

"You _can_ do it!" She told him "Right Grace"

"As long as we get to the vestige, I don't care" I told them "But you shouldn't give up so easily"

"What are you three doing!" we all turned to see flame head running at us.

"Go, go, go!" I shouted wrapping my arms around the boy's waist without thinking and Vanille wrapped her arms around mine.

"Here we go!" he activated the aero bike and we flew off the ground. The end of the engine wing/thing hit one of the wires and we spun out of control before going straight down. Vanille started screaming and I just hid my face in the boy's jacket. We went back up so fast it made me want to vomit.

"Get back here! Do you hear me! Hey!" Flame head shouted at us. I waved goodbye after I lifted my head before chuckling slightly. Now we were heading straight for the vestige. And the Pulse Fal'cie.

"Hey, what does that button do" Vanille asked motioning to the flashing yellow button.

"Don't touch that!" both me and the boy shouted. Too late.


	3. Sacrarium

Thanks to Vanille we crashed into the vestige. It was painful, but probably hurt Vanille more since both me and the boy landed on her.

"Wow, that was close" She said as we started to get up. "Now where is the…" both me and Vanille turned around to see the aero bike on its side. It might as well have been on fire "oops. Well then" I started to take in my surroundings. It was still the same as the first time I was in here. "Guess it's just us"

"What did you expect" silver head started "even soldiers know not to go near the Fal'cie. You become a Pulse L'cie, and you're finished" at this point I was walking away.

"What do you mean, 'finished'?" Vanille asked, her tone seemed to be a little annoyed. That's a first.

"Haven't you heard, miss-"

"Vanille"

"Huh"

"My name. And yours?" I turned slightly and saw her holding her hand out for him to take.

"Hope" she pulled him to his feet and brushed him off "Thank you". I started walking again. "And she is…" I heard Hope ask.

"That's Grace" Vanille replied for me. "Come on, let's explore!" she shouted before passing me dragging Hope behind her. I laughed slightly at the face he was pulling. "Oh, check this out!" Vanille vanished from my view.

"Hey! Vanille! Where are you-" me and Hope ran round a corner before Vanille jumped down holding a binding Rod. She started to swing it around as if she was fighting something.

"Well?" she asked smiling again.

"That's, uh…" Hope started.

"It suits you" I told her as she started swinging it again. There was a growl behind us. Turning around a Pantheron jumped down from its place on top of a pillar. Vanille walked in front of both me and Hope and got into a battle stance followed by Hope, who pulled out a airwing. I remember Free begging Nan and Granddad for one of those boomerangs, but they got him a yoyo instead. _Stop daydreaming, the creature charging at you! _

"Uh oh" I muttered as I realised I had nothing to fight with. I can't use magic, or can I? I have no clue how to use it, but if I did use it I could I could say I found a manadrive. But what if I couldn't figure it out in time –_its coming!_ _Ruin! _I shouted in my head as I flicked my wrist in a certain way. A sphere of energy travelled from my hand to the Pantheron. _Ruin! Ruin! Ruin! _I kept on repeating that one word in my mind until I was tired_._ The Pantheron turned into purple and black ash.

"How… How did you do that?" Hope asked. I had completely forgotten what my excuse was. I looked at Vanille, begging her to help.

"Come on, let's find a weapon for Grace!" Vanille said grabbing Hope by the arm and went to pull him away but he stayed.

"How did you do that?" he asked again, just staring at me.

"Does it matter?" I asked in reply "the monster's dead and we're alive"

"Yes, but you used magic"

"Yes and you used a Airwing" I walked past him and Vanille "you coming or what?"

"Right! Back to exploring!" Vanille said happily before stepping in front of me "but first, we need to find you something to fight with!" she grabbed my wrist and pulled me along. She started searching through a pile of stone. "What about these" she asked holding out two swords. Their design was blue and yellow patches with sharp silver edges. I studied them and gave them a swing. They were lighter than expected and were easy to use- so far.

"They suit you" she told me smiling like normal. She then showed me two metal holsters. "You can't hold them forever" she gave them to me. I placed them around my thighs and slipped the swords into them. We continued walking along until we saw another aero bike on its side. Vanille and Hope went to look at it –I don't know why, it's clear it had crashed- and I saw something shine over in the corner. Unfortunately three Zwerg scandroids were dancing close to it. I made sure the others weren't looking before casting ruin on all of them. Magic is fun; I wish you didn't have to be a L'cie to use it.

"Grace!" Vanille shouted at me "Hurry up!"

"Give me a sec!" I shouted in return. I looked at what was in the corner. It was a iron bangle.

"Grace!"

"Coming!" I shouted. I jumped over a small pile of broken stone. This place seems to be half broken. I looked and saw another aero bike stuck in one of the walls. That one must have been Free's.

"Aren't you scared?" Hope asked Vanille.

"Hmm, not so much" she replied.

"You really don't get it" he said. Vanille turned around with a annoyed look on her face. It didn't suit her.

"Pulse Fal'cie and L'cie are bad news" she explained, walking past hope "that's why Cocoon kicked them out. Live to close to the Fal'cie? One-way ticket to Pulse! That's the purge in a nutshell"

"If they catch us here, they'll purge us too. And then-"

"What's your problem?" both me and Vanille asked him. He looked shocked at what we just asked him.

"What's my-? Pulse is hell on earth!" after a couple of seconds Vanille pulled him into a hug.

"We'll be Okay! Calm down!" she told him. He pulled out of her embrace.

"Get off me"

Vanille sighed and turned to me "you know we'll be Okay, right?" she asked.

"Yep" I nodded "you will be. Me-maybe not"

"Why?" she asked. Why does she keep asking questions? I willed my brand to glow, showing the mark of a Pulse L'cie. Vanille was about to say something but was cut off before she could start.

"Serah! Can you hear me! Where are you!"

**XOXOX**

_**Hollow**_

I looked around the room. There were random staircases and paths. I guess this was the house of stairs Grace told me about.

"Don't worry Serah. You hero is on his way" the man Free introduced me to, who was called Snow said. I saw There was a green-glowing-thingy up ahead.

"Look, over there!" I told them pointing at it "we can use that to make a path!". We ran over to it and after a small fight with two Pantherons. I tried to activate it but I was too short to reach it.

"Don't worry sis, I got it" Free told me touching the light. The green light turned gold, followed by the lights in the middle. The random stairs and path pieces started moving around, actually forming paths to places this time. A red symbol appeared that looked like Grace's brand –only me, Lydia, faith, Ron and Serah know- before disappearing and a gold stone platform in its place. Pillar like lights formed connecting the diamond shaped gold things

"Let's go!" Snow said. Free jumped up and onto it. Snow helped me up –he's a giant- and got jumped up as well. "Just hold on Serah" he muttered as the platform started rising.

**XOXOX**

_**Lydia**_

"Still won't budge?" Sazh asked, even though he knew the answer. Lightning was slashing at the door, trying to open it. "I think the door is winning"

"Why didn't I listen?" Lightning mumbled.

"Uh, beg your pardon?"

Lightning mumbled something again.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Cover your ears" Lightning finally said something I could hear. I covered my ears with my hands but I could still hear Sazh.

"Oh, blast charge? Hold on, hold on!" Sazh then ran behind me, kneeled down and covered his ears "all right, go for it! Make it happen!".I couldn't see what Lightning was doing, but whatever it was it worked, the glowing Pulse L'cie brand disappeared and the door opened. "What the-hey! What did-how'd you open it?" both me and Sazh ran up behind her but she just walked away without answering a single question. "After you"

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

"So you're from Pulse" I whispered to Vanille. We were having a conversation about Pulse and stuff from Pulse quietly so Hope wouldn't hear. I don't know why but I got the feeling that if he heard the word Pulse to much he would explode.

"Yep, and I'm sorry" Vanille whispered back.

"Sorry? What for?"

"When me and my friend woke up from our crystal sleep the door to this place opened, and so did the door to the Fal'cie, so it's our fault you a L'cie"

"Vanille… I like being a L'cie"

"What? Why?"

"Because I can use magic now. And if I complete my focus and turn to crystal it means Diana won't be alone"

"Who's Diana" Hope asked standing next to me. What is he, a ninja "and why are you talking turning to crystal?"

_Uh oh_

"Hang on, baby! Your hero's on the way!"

Four pillars of light came down from the ceiling and a staircase rose from the floor while the door ahead opened.

"He _is_ here. Calling himself a hero…" Hope said, his past questions forgotten.

_Thank you Snow!_

"He's coming our way" Vanille said walking up in between us.

"What should I do?"

"Tell him what you need to!"

"But nothing I say will change what happened"

"Hmmm, we could just run away"

"Can I just say I don't like plan B" I told them. I don't like running away from things… most times.

"Right! Come on" Vanille shouted dragging me and Hope away. We ran through the door and were greeted with a giant room. I didn't remember this room from the first time I was here.

"Whoa" each of us was looking around, the two in front to me amazed. There were small floating crystals in this room. I wanted to catch one. There were strange growls that sounded as if the thing who cried them were in pain. I looked right and saw monsters that walked like zombies staggering towards us. I started backing away. I have a slight fear of zombies, real or not. I kept walking backwards, trying to ignore Hope and Vanille's looks of terror of something behind me. I finally turned round when my back hit something that felt like rock. I turned around and saw one of those things about to swing its arm at me. Its blood red claws scaring me more. I barely missed losing my head as I tripped backwards.

"What are they?" Hope asked.

"Bloody creepy!" I said trying not to scream.

"Cie'th. L'cie who failed. This is what happens –when L'cie don't complete the Focus the Fal'cie gave them" Vanille replied. _Whatever, they're still creepy._

"I suddenly don't like being a L'cie anymore" I muttered. I tried shuffling backwards to get to the others but something blocked me. I looked up and came face to face with a Cie'th. It growled at me lifting a arm up. "Help!"


	4. door to Anima

"Leave her alone!" something knocked the Cie'th over. I looked over to the source and saw her. Hollow was standing there still wearing her purge robe holding a rock in each hand, while Pumpkin the toy moogle leaned against her foot. She threw another at a different Cie'th while Free came out of nowhere and sliced one in half.

"Let's even these odds!" Snow shouted. Hollow ran over to me and practically dragged me away from the fight. I was still shocked. _That's what I'm going to be, isn't it. I have no clue what my Focus is or how I am supposed to complete it, and I'm running out of time; no matter how calm I am the brand will still advance._

"Yay us!" Vanille shouted in triumph. Hope fell over, most likely tired, same as Free and Vanille but they were still standing.

"How did you get in here? You've gotta leave" Snow told us. Vanille looked at him and smiled a innocent smile, twisting side to side like Hollow does to get out of trouble. "Okay, listen. Find someplace to hide and keep quite. Once I find Serah, we'll all leave together" he started walking off "you'll be home in time for diner"

"You-" Hope was about to say something if it wasn't for Vanille.

"Wait! Who's Serah?"

"My wife" Snow stopped to explain "future wife that is. She's a Pulse L'cie along with Grace. She's her somewhere, along with that Fal'cie. I gotta find her and set her free!"

"What's wrong with you!" Hope shouted. Honestly, I would never have guessed his could be so loud. "Why do you want help a L'cie! They're the enemy!" he turned and shot me a glare before turning back to Snow "How can you save a L'cie and not… and not… That's insane!"

"Probably" Snow replied calmly "but I gotta do something, right? I'll be back!" he then started to run. Hope fell onto his knees… again.

"Should we wait around for him, and hitch a ride?" Vanille asked.

"I'd rather go to Pulse!" Hope Shouted back, smashing his fish down onto the ground "Why is this happening to me? When they found the Fal'cie the other day, we were just visiting Bodhum. But the army took us. Threw us on that train… and because of that guy, mom is… is… and he wants to help a L'cie?"

"Hey again" Snow appeared again. I wasted no time getting up and walking the way he came from. I picked Pumpkin up off the ground as I walked past. My brand was burning again.

**XOXOX**

_**Lydia**_

"What's gotten into you soldier?" Sazh asked. We were still walking through the vestige and I was starting to wonder how Lightning knew where she was going "I thought you came for a fight"

"My sister…" Lightning stopped walking causing me to halt.

"Your sister?"

"She's a L'cie"

"What? A _Pulse _L'cie?"

"The Fal'cie has her captive, but I'll find her"

"Is she still…?" Lightning ignored Sazh's question and started walking again until Sazh ran in front of her "What was her Focus? When she became a L'cie, what did the Fal'cie order her to do? It wasn't 'blow up Cocoon' or anything like that, was it?"

"I didn't ask, but Grace told me they don't know" Lightning replied.

"Grace? They? There's more?"

"Only Serah –my sister- and Grace" the archway brand disappeared. On the other side monsters growled and held the necks like it hurt to make a sound.

"Listen to me. When a person gets cursed by a Fal'cie, they become a L'cie. Then they get given a Focus, right?" Sazh paused a second and sighed "How do I put this?... If they don't carry it out, L'cie end up as one of those things" I looked up at the barely breathing monsters again and felt ill "What I'm saying is, if your sister's gone that far… I mean-! She might still-! How can I-!" he sighed again "oh man. There's no way to turn a L'cie back into a human. Even if she completes her Focus, there's no changing her fate. She'll live her life as a Fal'cie slave" I covered my ears but I could still hear "don't make her suffer" Lightning pushed Sazh away.

"Just say it!" she shouted "Any L'cie… anyone who might ever become a L'cie should be wiped off the face of Cocoon!" she grabbed my arm and started to pull me away "its people like you that started the purge in the first place" she told him. She guided me away and then we faced the Cie'th coming towards us.

**XOXOX**

It seems that Lightning was attacking every Cie'th to get her anger out. Every single Cie'th she saw was dead in about 10 seconds. Then again I wasn't much better. There was a arrow sticking out of each Cie'th, mainly where their throats were –I think.

"Serah!" Lightning shouted. The pink haired girl in question was lying on the floor unconscious while a partly blonde haired girl kneeled next to her.

"Faith!" I shouted as I ran to her. She looked up and smiled. She had cut all over her face, probably from the Cie'th.

"Hey sis" she said, trying to stand but fell down.

"Don't try to stand" I told her, catching her before she hit the ground. She pointed up towards a door that was locked by a L'cie brand. I carried her up to see what she wanted but nothing was there.

"Time to go. We have to leave before the army –what?" I heard Lightning say. I turned round to see what was happening. A large Cie'th stood in my way; its arm was back ready for a hit. When it did strike I was expecting to fall back onto the branded door but instead I fell right over, onto the floor. By the time I looked up the door had closed again. Faith was asleep in my arms and I was starting to feel tired.

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

I had waited by one of those floating platforms for the others. Now Hollow was holding Pumpkin again.

"Serah!" Snow suddenly shouted causing me to look. Serah was barely conscious and was in Lightning's arms. Both me and Snow jumped down. He ran over to Serah and held her hand while I leaned over his shoulder to see her face "Serah"

Is that… my hero?" Serah said smiling.

"Serah" I mumbled. She looked at me.

"Grace? You came to?" she seemed a little shocked.

"of course I did" I smiled at her.

"Let's get you out of here" Snow said.

"Hands off. I'm taking her home" Lightning argued.

"Sis, I-"

"I'm not your sister! You couldn't protect her. It's your fault she-"

"You can save us" Serah interrupted.

"Serah?" both me and Lightning questioned.

"You can save us" She insisted "Protect us all. Save… Cocoon"

"Save Cocoon? Serah? That was your Focus?" Lightning asked.

"Anything, I'll do anything. Leave it to me –You'll see. I'll protect Cocoon! I'll save everyone!" Snow insisted.

"Somehow, I'll make things right" Lightning told her.

"I'll do everything I can do" I also told her.

"You just relax"

"Thank you" Serah said weakly. She smiled one last smile before glowing blue. She started to rise, the blue glow getting brighter the higher she went. Slowly Snow let go of her hand before it was encased in crystal. All of her was being encased in crystal. One small light came down and formed something in Snow's still open palm.

"Serah! Serah!" he was calling her. I looked at her upset. I'm alone now. No other 'Pulse L'cie of Cocoon'. I felt my brand burning, but worst than when its stage advanced before feeling like it was being frozen. "Serah… sweet dreams"

"Sweet Dream? She's not sleeping!" Lightning walked up to him with a angry look "Serah's… She's-"

"She's alive" Snow argued.

"No"

"The legend! Remember the Legend! L'cie who fulfill their Focus turn to crystal and gain eternal life. It's the same with Serah! Eternal life! She's not dead!" everyone had upset expressions. Snow walked up to Lightning and I knew something bad was going to happen. "Serah's my bride-to-be. I promised to be hers forever! I don't care how many years I have to wait-"

It turns out I was right. Lightning punched him hard enough to knock him over. "It's over!" she shouted "open your eyes and face reality!"

We were all quite after that, even Snow. Hollow ended up breaking down and crying. After a minute the whole place began to shake. Hope kneeled over covering his head while both Vanille and Free were staggering around. I was to busy trying to stay standing but when large ropes started destroying the place I started to panic.

_Serah! Got to keep her safe!_

I ran over along with Lightning and Snow to stop the falling debris from hitting the crystal girl. I couldn't hear anything apart from rumbling. When it stopped the doors to the Fal'cie opened. Almost immediately ran up the stairs, blades in hand. I heard one or two cries of protest until they were directed at Snow.

"Well what do you want me to do!" I heard him shout. Next thing I knew was Lightning walking next to me followed by Snow. The hallway was dark but you could see the shell of what I guessed was the Fal'cie.

"So this… is the Fal'cie" Hope said. He was coming to? I looked back and saw everyone gathering around. Vanille was holding Hollow's hand, who looked as though she was still crying.

"Serah's a crystal now. You gave her a Focus, and she did it! You got what you want! Now let her go!" Snow shouted but the shell did nothing. He fell to his knees "Please… turn her back! I'll be your L'cie instead!"

"Fine, you go on begging" Lightning said grabbing her gunblade "like this thing gives a damn what we want!" she began slashing at it, the last swing sent her flying. Snow called out to her in concern but she ignored him. "It's this thing's fault the purge started, and it's people who are dying. Serah told us to save Cocoon –that means this thing needs to die!"

The thing must of have heard her, because it started working. Symbols on the floor started to glow yellow and the shell looked as though it was opening. Smoke started to rise out of two sections of the floor followed by Manipulators. A bright light came from the now opening shell and the Fal'cie popped out.

"This is the actual Fal'cie!" I shouted "This is Anima!" I turned to Vanille "Get Hollow out of here!" she nodded before following Hope back down the hallway, Free running behind her.

"Come on, Now" the guy with the afro said "you really think you can kill a Fal'cie?"

"I'm doing this for Serah!" Lightning told him. Screens showing Pulse brands flicked into life.

"I'm in" afro said again, a chocobo chick popping out of his hair and diving back in "as long as you don't mind a amateur" he pulled out to pistols "I got these things. Might as well use'em!"

"Thanks"

_**Defend me**__, _something said in the back of my mind, _**defend me my L'cie**_

_No_, _you took Serah, _I thought back_, where's your weak spot?_

"Aim for the crystal" Snow shouted running toward it to punch the glowing stone.

_**Fool!**_

"Don't!" I shouted "aim at the Manipulators!" I barely had time to save Snow's skin as the triple-claw attached to the Fal'cie went to quarter him.

_**You traitor!**_

_I don't care what you think._

The Manipulators turned to ash as soon as they were destroyed. Anima hunched over trying regenerating them.

"Now!" I shouted again "destroy the crystal!"

Lightning ran forward before impaling the stone with her gunblade. Almost as soon as she did the whole room was engulfed in white light. I closed my eyes, but when I tried to open them again they wouldn't.

_**You are a traitor and deserve to be punished, but you are still needed. You have done well in completing your Focus so I will let your brand stay the same as it is now. Lead your kind to crystal.**_

_My kind? How many have you cursed?_

_**Thanks to your friend I have a large group. Now wake up and call the Maker.**_


	5. Visions

"_And so I tell them they're wrong" my head hit the table as my granddad continued one of his endless story. I felt something tug at my waistcoat._

"_Can we go yet?" Hollow whispered. I shook my head._

"_Not until Ron tells us" I whispered back. We were aiming to go to the beach to see the annual Bodhum fireworks. Uncle George says you can see them from here but all you can see is the top of the dome the fireworks were inside of. So Ron was picking the lock to the gate and would send Free over when it's done._

"_Fine" Hollow said walking over to Uncle George by the barbeque, and once again I focused on granddad's story. _

"_Bob you can't even drive remote-controlled car let alone a actual car" everyone at the table started laughing while I just sat there and closed my eyes._

_oOo_

"_Grace... wake up sleepy head" I woke up to find Lydia looking down at me "Come on, Ron wants us" I nodded and we snuck inside the house. It was easy since my one-year-old cousin was wandering around, distracting everyone else. We ran into the office/gaming room and closed the door. There was a note on the table so the others would know where we went. Hollow was waiting there._

"_Come on, come on!" she said trying not to shout. Lydia stepped out of the door sized window before helping Hollow out._

"_Why are we going through all this trouble just to see fireworks?" I asked "we could have just asked"_

"_Free did and they said no!" one of them shouted at me, I couldn't see who since they ran off "and we can't miss them!" Hollow appeared again "they're wish-granting!" she ran off and I stepped out following. We all ran down the road towards the beach._

_oOo _

"_Finally!" Free shouted before collapsing. The beach was quite far away from our aunt and uncle's house, and since both me and Free barely had any stamina, I was surprised we even made it here, as well as the fact we weren't caught._

"_Yay! We made it!" Hollow shouted throwing her toy moogle in the air before catching it._

"_I'll go get drinks" Ron said before walking off, not waiting for us to reply._

"_Meet us by the rocks!" Lydia shouted at him, gaining a thumbs-up in return. The rest of us walked over to the edge of the beach, where rocks had been stacked up to clear room for holiday makers. I don't know why nobody else sits here, you got a great view and a seat but yet we're always the only ones there._

_We just sat there, watching the explosions of colour known as fireworks, thinking about what we would all wish for. Well I was anyway._

"_I'm back" Ron announced holding a small brown bag "Happy sheep soda for Lydia, free and me" he threw the cans at them "a Kweh! for Grace" he threw a can at me "and a sunleth's legend for Hollow" he passed the bottle to Hollow._

"_Grace, are you sure it's a good idea to be drinking a energy drink this late at night, you won't be able to sleep" Lydia told me._

"_I'll be fine" I told her taking a sip of the drink._

"_Last time you said that you stayed up all night and fell asleep in school" Free laughed before I pushed him off the rock he was sitting on._

"_Let's make Wishes!" Hollow suggested. She clamped her hands together and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she had a smile plastered on her face. Lydia did the same followed by Free –who had climbed back onto his rock._

"_Are you kidding me" Ron asked "These fireworks don't grant wishes, they just say that so people would come and visit Bodhum. I used to wish on them but nothing happened"_

"_Did you doubt they would grant your wish back then?" I asked him. He nodded his head. "There's your answer, if you doubt for even a second it would cancel out your wish" I retold what my other granddad had told me –not the one with all the stories about bob._

"_Whatever, I don't trust them anyway" Ron replied._

"_What are you going to wish for?" Hollow asked me._

"_I don't know. Something" I told her. She nodded her head before turning back. The rest of the evening was basically like that and when we got back we were in so much trouble._

_**oOo**_

"Serah!"

I woke up to Snow shouting his fiancée's name. I just laid there trying to remember what had happened while everyone started to stand. I had a dream about Bodhum but what put me to sleep?

_That goddamned Fal'cie_

"Is this... for real?" Snow asked like anyone would know. It was only then I noticed we were standing on crystal.

"What? Where are we?" I heard Lydia ask.

"This must be... Lake Bresha?" the guy who was travelling with Lightning told/asked us "I guess we fell from up there, and the lake turned to crystal?" he paused waiting for a response "Help me out here! I mean, did the Fal'cie do this? How in the world did we end up here?"

"How should I know?" Lightning answered harshly.

"We're alive. How?" Vanille asked dropping to her knees.

"Serah!" Snow told us rather loudly "no one survives a fall from that high, not without a miracle. Serah saved us!"

"Or the Fal'cie did" I muttered to myself.

"Serah?" Lightning questioned "Listen. It's all your fault she got-"

"Cie'th!" Hollow Shouted pointing behind Lightning. Said person turned around reaching for her gunblade.

"Watch out!" Snow shouted running up and blocking the monster's swinging arm. He pushed it back before is hand started to glow blue and punching the beast so hard it flew backwards. "What did I... just do?"

"You used magic!" Hope shouted at him.

"More Cie'th!" I shouted pointing to the side of Free, Hope and Vanille.

"You used the power of a L'cie" Hope continued "The Fal'cie cursed us, we're L'cie now!"

I had decided against fighting since I would probably get in everyone's way.

"So we really are L'cie" Snow said. I guess the fighting had stopped.

"Looks like it"

"You too?" I looked up to see who Snow was asking.

"Yep. Right here" Vanille said lifting part of her skirt up to show her brand

"Okay" Snow replied awkwardly.

"L'cie to the last" Lightning said.

"Why me?" Hope muttered falling to his knees "I don't even know you! But you have to go and attack that thing? Just leave me alone! It's your fault- it's your fault my-! You could've-!" he quickly stood up and shouted at Snow "All of this is your, Grace and Serah's fault!"

_How is it our fault?_

"Watch it!" Snow Pushed Hope over. He started shuffling backward only to bump into Lightning and get glared at. Hope seemed to be completely and utterly in a panic since he flipped over onto his knees and covered his head.

"Being a L'cie isn't so bad" Faith said casting a spell on herself that made all the cuts on her face fade into the rest of her skin. Soon her normal smile was on her face again before being tackled into a hug by Hollow. Vanille comforted Hope again before walking off, pulling him along followed by Faith –who still had Hollow hanging off her waist- and Lydia, and then the rest of us.

**XOXOX**

"Okay, if we don't know our focus, how do we complete it?" Lightning questioned. We had walked about a meter or two from where we woke up and had stopped again.

"I think... I saw it" Vanille told us hesitantly.

"Saw what?" Lightning asked. When Vanille didn't reply Afro guy stepped forward.

"That is how a focus comes down, people" He said matter-of-factly "The Fal'cie? They don't spell it out with clear-cut instructions; all you get is a hazy glimpse". Snow and Lightning gave him a questioning and suspicious look "Well, that's what they say, you know, legends and all" the three of them looked at me as if asking '_True?_' I nodded my head at them.

"Did you see anything?" Lightning asked Hope.

"I uh-I just... it's all kind of foggy, but... I saw this big- I mean Towering-" Hope could not get a full sentence out.

"W-wait a minute" Sazh interrupted "Hold on now. Did we all have the same dream?" he seemed shocked.

"Ragnarok" They all seemed to remember their shared Focus. I think I have the same, only from what their saying all there Focus is, is Ragnarok where as I have that and a load of crystal. Mine's longer?

"What's Ragnarok?" I heard Hollow ask but everyone didn't seem to hear her and I didn't know how to explain it to her.

"So, we all saw the same dream, we all heard that same voice" Sazh started.

"You mean that was our Focus? but how are we supposed to know what to do from that?" Hope asked someone, I don't know who due to the fact we all don't know.

"That's the tricky part" Both Faith and Vanille said at the same time "The dream's the only hint the Fal'cie gives us" Vanille continued.

"Figuring out what to do with it- that's our job" Faith finished. They could be sisters, they both sound the same.

"Okay, Okay..." Sazh started "We're Pulse L'cie, right? Enemies of Cocoon. So, does that mean our Focus is-? Are we supposed to-"

"Save her" Snow butted in.

"Say what?"

"Our Focus is to protect Cocoon" He continued.

"Really?" once again Faith and Vanille said at the same time "Okay and why's that?" Vanille asked.

"Serah told us" Snow answered, and I sighed. Serah was his excuse to everything. "Let's do it, we're all in this together. I'm gonna look for Serah, she ought to be nearby" he ran off before any of us could talk some sense into him.

"I'll come too!" Vanille shouted after him "Wait!"

"That boy can't stay still" Sazh sighed before running to catch up.

**XOXOX**

"We fight it! Ragnarok!" Snow shouted "That's the reason we're L'cie, to stop it-to keep Cocoon safe!"

"Yeah, why don't you give us one reason to believe that? One reason" Sazh told him.

_Don't say Serah, Don't say Serah._

"Serah"

_And he said Serah._

"Snow, I think you're starting to use Serah as an excuse for everything" I told him.

"Come on Grace, she said to protect Cocoon, and then she turned to crystal. That's the proof right there she completed her Focus! That means ours is to save Cocoon. Serah's fal'cie was the same as ours; our Focus has got to be the same. We were chosen to be guardians, to defeat Ragnarok! It makes sense!"

"No it doesn't!" I shouted before Sazh could open his mouth "all Serah said was to protect Cocoon, that was what she _wanted, _not our _Focus_! We're Pulse L'cie!"

"If I were a betting man I'd put us on the other side" Sazh finished for me.

"So Serah's an enemy too?" Snow started again "well I don't buy it!" he ran up to Lightning holding his brand. "We have the power to save Cocoon. If we work together and carry out our focus-" Lightning swung round and her gunblade to his neck.

"Our Focus?" She demanded "the fal'cie took Serah from us, and you want to help it? Whose side are you on?"

"Freeze!"

We all spun round to see PSICOM soldiers there, in front and behind.

"Place your hands behind you heads!"

We followed the order, except Lightning, who looked as though she was deciding Fight or Flight. She let out a sigh, dropping her weapon.

"You fall of the purge train?" one of them asked. I ended up focusing on the laser that was on my forehead, gulping.

"Maybe" Lightning told them, slowly reaching for her head.

"Are you talking back to me?" the soldier exclaimed walking up to her and aiming at her neck.

"Nice gun" she commented before bringing her arm down on the gun, then elbowing him in the face, knocking him off balance and kicking him away. I didn't watch anymore as I turned to see Faith in her own battle. She kicked one multiple times before turning to the other, kneeing him it the gut and kicking his knee. She then pulled two knives off her belt. I didn't even know she could fight, let alone have knives; she was always so scared of accidentally getting stabbed in the kitchen. As she fought one the other was about to hit her with a baton.

"Leave her alone you big bully!" Hollow shouted letting a small ball of fire travel through the air and set him on fire. Faith stabbed him in the chest as they both fell dead. My mind started pounding.

"I'd thought they'd be tougher than that. These guys are PSICOM, yeah?" Sazh asked crouching down next to one "supposed to be cream-of-the-crop"

"Yeah, but PSICOM's an anti-Pulse task force" Snow told us "Haven't fought a war in centuries, bunch of rookie troops swinging around overpriced toys"

"So, from what your telling me, it sounds like a regular old soldier has got more training than special forces" Sazh summarized.

"Nothing for us L'cie to be afraid of" I rolled my eyes at Snow's comment, earning a giggle from Faith and Hollow, and a slap from Lydia. Apparently rolling eyes is rude.

"Cut the crap" Lightning told him "their grunts might be green, but PSICOM's elites are cold-blooded beasts. They hit the field and it's game over"

"Uh-oh! Then let's run away! Ciao!" Vanille started to run off as Sazh called after her.

"Let's go!" Free shouted running after her, Faith and Hollow at his heel. I looked at Lydia, both of us silently saying _"this should be interesting" _before chasing them.


	6. slippery tube apparently

"You okay?" Faith asked me. I just nodded my head while poking a dead breshan bass with one of my blades. "Come on" She grabbed my wrist and we started walking again.

"Weird isn't it, of all the messed up ways to meet, might as well make introductions. I'm Snow, Snow Villiers" Snow said causing us all to stop "Short stuff?"

"Hope. Hope Esthiem" Hope said quietly.

"Shorter stuff?" Snow asked again.

"Free Hills" Free said

"Even shorter stuff?" guess who said it.

"I'm Hollow!" Hollow shouted happily before holding pumpkin out in front of her "And this is pumpkin!"

"Lydia" Lydia told him.

"What about her?" Vanille asked pointing at Lightning.

"Bodhum Security Regiment, She goes by Lightning, last name's Farron, first? Anybody's guess" Snow told her/over explained.

"Vanille"

"Faith"

"Sazh Katzroy" Afro or Sazh said "Good to meet you" he turned to me "and you're"

It was only then I had realized I hadn't told them who I was.

"I'm Grace" I told him with a smile -he was the only one who didn't know me "Nice to meet you too". I started walking after Vanille, catching up with her.

"You seem happy all of a sudden" She told me, smiling like normal. I nodded my head. Hope caught up to us and I tried not to stare. You know those times when you don't want to stare at someone but your eyes are drawn to them, yeah, I get those a lot. So, I decided to copy Vanille for the moment. "You okay?" She asked him, and he nodded his head. I think he was lying, but I didn't voice my opinion. She turned around before shouting "Heyyyy!" at the others then started waving "Come on! Come on!" she them turned back around suddenly, grabbing one of my wrists and one of Hope's and started waving them. She looked at me. "You keep doing this, okay" She then forced Hope's wrist into my hand before shaking them. I nodded, shaking his wrist while my free hand waved at them. Vanille walked over to Free and did the same.

I ended up chuckling slightly, before cupping my mouth with my free had and shouted "Hurry up!" then went back to waving.

"We're coming!" Lydia shouted smiling. Hollow came barreling forwards and stopped in front of me.

"Grace, could you give me a piggy back ride, everyone else won't" She gave me the cutest look she could conjure, even though she knew they don't work on me.

"Okay" I told her before turning around and letting go of Hope. Almost immediately I felt her jump up and on to my back. I caught her and tried to catch up to the others. Hollow was giggling like a clown on a sugar-rush.

We stuck further back so we didn't have to fight. And by we I meant me since Hollow didn't know how to fight really.

"Hey Hollow?" I asked her. She came out of the little trance she was in and replied with a 'hmm' "could you get off a second?"

"Hmmm. Okay" she slid off and I went to grab the iron bangle from my bag.

"What have you got there" Faith asked me, Vanille with her.

"An iron bangle" I replied "I remember reading somewhere that the iron kills pain depending on how much damage is done to you. You want it"

"No thanks" She said.

"You should give it to Hope" Vanille told me. I gave her a confused look as if saying '_Why_'. She rolled her eyes "No offense to him, but... Hope's a little weak, so a boost in health could help him" I looked at the bangle, then back up at her "I could give him it for you"

"Sure..." I gave her the bangle "I don't need it, so someone else might as well have it". She muttered a 'right' before walking over to Hope while Faith went over to Lydia and Free.

"Grace?" Hollow asked, and I nodded my head, once again she jumped on my back, before I started running to catch up... again.

"Hey look" Hollow said pointing over my shoulder.

"The train fell too. I wonder what else is down here" Vanille said.

"Serah" Lightning muttered, causing me to turn to her. She was staring out onto the crystalized lake. How could she see Serah in all that crystal?

"Serah!" Snow shouted running down the train. He saw her too, I guess follow him. He got to Serah, paused and then grabbed a piece of metal before stabbing it into the ground.

"I'll help you" Vanille said joining with her own piece of metal.

"Thanks!"

A couple of seconds later Sazh started helping. I went to put Hollow down to help but she didn't let go.

"This is good-bye" I turned to see lightning turn around and start to walk away.

"Lightning? Where you going?" I asked her, but she didn't stop.

"You're just gonna leave her?" Snow asked.

"PSICOM will be here soon. If they find us, we're all dead. You think Serah would want that? You think you know how she feels?" Lightning told him pausing for a second before continuing.

"If I leave her, then I'll never know. We'll be fine, I can handle anything they throw at us, no one will die. I'll protect Serah and Cocoon!" Snow announced. This made Lightning turn around. She walked quickly, almost running, pushing me out the way before her fist collided with Snow's face, knocking him over onto Sazh.

"Does she look protected to you?!" She slightly shouted.

"I can save her!" Snow told her getting back up only to be punched again, falling on to of Sazh again. I swear his bandana came off.

"What can you possibly do?!"

Snow went to get up and Lightning got ready to punch him again.

"Whatever it takes!"

Lightning's fist returned to her side and she looked away.

"Huh, You two are hopeless" Sazh said walking away "You just can't admit it. You want to stay as much as he does". Snow and Vanille continued digging. "No! No, no, no, not now!" we all turned to see... I'm not sure what it was, so for now I shall call it a robot scorpion or RS for sort.

"Run!" Lydia shouted Lightning and Snow ahead but was over taken by Hope, Sazh and Vanille. That was when RS jumped down in front of us; scaring the living daylights out of Hope and making him fall over. Hollow screamed in my ear and I accidently dropped her.

"Sorry" I muttered as she scampered behind a crystal formation that kept her hidden. Free joined her as well as Sazh when he had finally got back. I ducked down with them until I saw running Hope towards us, and probably right past us if I hadn't jumped out grabbed his wrist and swung him round towards our 'hiding' group.

"AIM FOR THE HEAD!" Free shouted and we all turned to him "What? Have you never a engineering magazine before. That's a Manasvin Warmech, it has lasers in its head, STRIKE WHILE IT'S HEAD'S OPEN!"

The Manasivin thing seemed to have heard Free and turned to our hiding spot. I heard Hollow mutter a 'uh-oh'. RS's tail was coming right at us.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT! __,_ I thought.

"Duck!" Lightning shouted at us. I bent down as low as I could, covering the back of my neck and head with my hands. Crystal went flying, and that's when I started to panic.

_WHAT THE HELL ARE WE GONNA DO!_

I looked up to see the laser charging at the end of its tail.

_Shit, Free! Why didn't you tell us!_

"Hey ugly!" I heard Snow shout "Pick on somebody your own size!" The tail instantly turned to Snow. "Steelguard!" Gold shield came up around him and he acted as though he didn't feel a thing. "Is that all you got!"

_Hmm, maybe..._

"Hey!" I shouted, waving my arms "I bet you're so weak you can't hurt me!" the RS turned to me charging up its laser. I dodged the first blast but got hit the next two. Let's just say it hurt, a lot.

"Grace!" Free shouted before healing me. I guess so I was aware he was helping. For the next five minutes me and Snow verbally abused the hell out of RS while Free and Vanille healed us. Everyone else started attacking it until it got really annoyed and opened its head up.

"LAZERS" Both Free and I shouted and started to attack it as well. RS became ash and anyone who was hiding came out. We all looked up at where crystal Serah was and Lightning started walking away.

"You're leaving?" Snow asked her, blocking her path.

"We want to help Serah too" Sazh told him "Uhh, but without tools we could be digging for days. The army's on our trail. For now we've got to keep moving. For now"

"So I just abandon her and save myself?!" Snow shouted at him.

"What about your Focus?" Lightning asked Snow "What happened to banding together and saving the world? Isn't that what you promised? Now you want to forget it all and die right here?" Sazh sighed from behind her "Snow? You're nothing but talk"

"Lightning!" Snow said as she walked away from him and us "I'll do whatever it takes. I'll finish this Focus _and_ keep Serah safe. That's my promise"

"Great job so far" Lightning called over her shoulder. Sazh sighed.

"Stay out of trouble" Snow told him.

"You too" Sazh said back patting his shoulder and walking after Lightning. Lydia grabbed Hollow's hand and pulled her long, mumbling a 'bye' as she walked past Snow. Hollow turned around and started waving like crazy before running ahead.

"Get going" Snow told the five of us remaining. I walked up to him.

"Keep yourself and Serah safe, alright. I don't to hear anything about a L'cie being caught or see a chip is Serah next time I see her, got it" I questioned.

"Got it" He reassured me "You stay safe too" I smiled a little while nodding then ran to catch up to Lightning. I heard someone behind me and when I turned I saw only Vanille shortly followed by Hope. I climbed up onto a chunk of crystal and looked over the wave in front of me. Faith and Free were helping Snow.

"But they... didn't say good-bye" I muttered.

**XOXOX**

_**Faith**_

I looked over at Free as we stood there.

"Aren't you guys going" Snow asked, jerking is thumb back over his shoulder.

"Nope, you are going to need help, so I'm staying" Free explained to him.

"That's also why I'm stay, so you can get some actual help" I told him smiling. I could feel Free glare burning the back of my neck but I just shook it off.

"You guys sure" Snow questioned. We both nodded our heads. "Alright let's go free Serah"

As I started chipping away at crystal I saw a little blonde head of hair pop up from behind crystal. I did feel bad for leaving Grace, especially since we only just saw each other again, but I know she wants to stay with Serah, so I'll take her place.

_See ya later sis_

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

"Come on, cheer up, it's not the end of the world!" Vanille said before dragging me along slightly. I still don't know where she gets her energy from or how she's always so happy.

"Okay, do not shake the slippery tube! We cool on this? Do not shake the slippery tube!" I heard Sazh shouting before feeling sick. There was a long -and apparently slippery- tube, that at the moment Lightning, Sazh and Lydia -who was carrying Hollow-, were crossing. Vanille took a few steps onto it before looking back up.

"Come on, it's not that slippery" She told me and Hope, who still stood at the top with me. I looked at the drop under the tube and felt even more sick. "It's only scary if you look down, you should close your eyes" Vanille had somehow got Hope to walk on the tube. "Come on Grace" she went to grab my hand but almost fell off.

"Can't I just find another way round, or go back and help Snow?" I asked.

"Nope, it's too late now" Vanille replied "Now come on, and if you think your about to fall, grab Hope" I saw Hope gulp at this.

I took a couple of steps forward, than more, then more.

_What on earth was Sazh talking about? It's not slippery at all!_

"See, you can do it" Vanille said.

_I feel like an idiot_

We reached the bottom where everyone was waiting for us, before continuing. We came up to a area that had a broken ship trapped in the crystal.

"Let's take a break, alright" Sazh said making Lightning stop.

"5 minutes" she told him. I sat down on a small ledge of crystal, tapping one foot on the ground.

"Grace?" I replied with a 'hmm' "why don't you talk to Hope?" Hollow asked.

"I don't know, he won't talk, I won't make him, blah blah blah" I told her.

"I've talked to him and he seems nice, and if you talk to him -nicely- we can all be friends. And when this is over we can be neighbors!"

"That's kinda random, but I would like to have a group of friends in this mess" I mumbled out a reply

"Me and Vanille talked about it. We all move to Bodhum after this and we're all best friends!" Hollow continued. We sat there just talking for who-knows-how-long.

"Grace?" I looked up to see Hope.

"Yeah?" I answered.

_Might as well try to make friends._

"Thanks for the iron bangle" he said.

"No prob" I replied.

"Let's get moving!" Lightning instructed. I got up and ran down the bridge.

"Guys! It's a dead-" Bullets sprayed over my head, crashing into the crystal above. It all started to fall down in front of me. "Holy Moly!" just then bass came jumping at me.

_Fudging HELL!_


	7. The Ruins

"You alright?" Vanille asked as she and Hope healed me.

"Just peachy" I told her, recovering from my surprise ambush of Breshan and Bloodfang bass "it was my fault for walking ahead"

"Oh No!"

I turned towards where Lydia's voice came from before running over, Vanille in front, Hope next to me.

"Alpha Behemoth!" I shouted, good thing I read Free's Bioweapon comics. He wanted to be a solider when he was older, but I doubt they hire Pulse L'cie.

"Go hide!" Lydia instructed Hollow, Pushing her away. Hollow ran past me before stopping, running back and dragged Hope away. I tried not to laugh at the look of horror on his face, I'm guessing partly because of the behemoth, partly because he was being looked after by a 6-year-old. I disconnected my blades from their holders quickly before jumping down the step.

**XOXOX**

"I am official getting tired of fighting" I said to no one. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to look at Sazh smiling own at me.

"You not alone there" He told me and I smiled at him "Look at that, they're sending in cruisers" I looked down at the giant ship. Fudge! "Primarch must be sweating bullets, mobilizing ships like that" we all crept forward, before looking over a ledge. You could see the large groups of soldiers and faintly hear the commands.

"Oh my" Lydia said under her breath.

"They must be hunting down Purge survivors" Sazh informed us.

"I hope everyone made it out okay" Vanille said.

"So do I" Sazh replied "But nowhere is safe for them now. Damn it!"

"Aw, fudging hell!" I shouted lying on my back, covering my face with my hands.

"Just 'cause they shared a neighborhood with a Fal'cie, they get treated like Pulse-tainted rats" Sazh continued.

"People really hate Pulse, don't they?" Vanille asked quietly. I knew it this had upset her because of our conversation inside the vestige.

"Not _hate, _more like _fear. _Tens of millions of people... all scared of Pulse boogeymen, they'd be shaking in their beds every night if they knew... that L'cie like us were around" Sazh explained to her.

"But... thy Purged that entire town" Vanille told him, in a some-what questioning tone.

"It's crazy, I know" Sazh said back "But the Sanctum Fal'cie did nothing to stop it. Up until now, Eden's always stepped in to correct their errors in judgment. Guess humans aren't worth the effort, figure they'll let us just kill each other off"

"L'cie are not human" Hope piped up.

"Shut your mouth Esthiem!" I snapped at him through my hands.

"Listen you two, that's enough!" Vanille some-what snapped back. She gripped Hope's wrist and looked at it -probably his brand. She walked away after a couple of seconds later "We're still alive, that's something"

The ground stared shaking and I could hear a ship approaching.

"What?"

"Where is it?"

"I don't know"

"Up there!" Hollow shouted before falling over. We all ducked down trying not to be seen.

"They're sealing off the area. They're trying to trap the stragglers" Lightning told us standing up "we got to get moving before we're caught in the net"

We all nodded before running away. Lydia ended up carrying Hollow again. The solider were already taking up positions in the tunnels and pathways formed by crystal waves.

"Run, Run, Run!" Hollow shouted moving her moogle toy to look like it was running. Lightning didn't spare anyone, but neither did Sazh and Vanille. There was so much ash around, it formed a trail behind us.

"Slice" I muttered as I cut a watchdrone in half while running past it. Like a hot knife through butter. I looked at Lightning to see her jumping up a crystal cliff "Bloody heck"

"Come on!" I looked up to see Hollow calling down to me from her place on Lydia's back, who was jumping up the same cliff, followed by Sazh who was quietly saying how he was 'too old for this'. I tried my best to keep up but I wasn't used to jumping very high up.

"Almost there!" Vanille walked past me smiling before jumping up followed by Hope- who slipped slightly. I kept jumping, and jumping, and jumping, until I realized I had gotten lost.

"Bloody Heck!" I said under my breath, before jumping more trying to find the others. But lady luck was not on my side today, because I could not see a single afro or pink hair anywhere. Sigh. I started to grow nervous, I was one of those people that like to work on their own, but with the presence of others.

"Grace?! Grace?! Where are you!?" I heard Lydia shouting. I followed it and almost fell back down the cliff when a chocobo chick flew into my face.

"Whoa!" The chick flew over to Sazh and dived into his afro. Lydia laughed "What?" she turned around to show a sleeping Hollow on her back. "She could sleep through a behemoth stampede" I mumbled, before following.

"Whoa, this whole place is crystal!" Vanille said looking over the edge of yet another crystal ledge I was trying my hardest to back away from.

"It's beautiful" Lydia agreed. I could see ships farther away.

"I wonder what it would be like. To become a crystal, I mean" Sazh questioned, even though no one knew.

"You're gonna complete your Focus?" Vanille asked back.

"Maybe. If I knew what it was" He replied "I probably don't want to know" Vanille turned to Lightning.

"Hey, Lightning. Did Serah say anything about her Focus?" She asked.

"Nothing" came Lightning's short reply.

"Oh, you know what? She probably didn't want to worry you" Vanille told her. Lightning said something I couldn't hear before Vanille turned to me. "Grace, have you figured out your Focus?"

"No" I replied "But I think me and Serah had the same Focus, we talked about it" I heard an 'hmm' come from her. As we continued walking I kept looking around thinking about how much I wanted a camera right about now. The tunnel we walked through was more-or-less untouched by PSICOM so far, which was nice since it meant it was peaceful and I could finally focus on my surroundings. The tunnel itself was made of a wave curling before it got crystalized, with random crystal clusters that glowed. Curiosity got the better of me, as I placed an open palm on the crystal surface. It was cold but not like ice, but like metal. I also touched a glowing crystal, which felt like a light bulb, pleasantly warm at first but then it burns your hand.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Lydia said by my side, trailing her hand along the wall.

"Yep" I replied simply, smiling. I could see the opening getting closer, light shining through the gap. When I walked out I was not expecting what I saw. The crystal water made a pathway to a giant ruin of a city, lying on a bed of crystal. "Where's the camera when you need one" I muttered.

Of course, all the peace came to an end when we walked inside the ruined city. The first thing we came across was an Alpha behemoth, followed by some some-what stray soldiers and drones.

"Even the flames turned to crystal, this is ridiculous" I heard Sazh complain slightly. I just smiled while running.

"It's amazing!" I shouted "I wish Diana could see it"

"Diana? How is she anyway, she wasn't with you when you came to Bodhum" Lightning asked.

"She's been better" I rubbed my arm before Lydia rubbed my back.

"Is she another member of your family? How many of you are there?" Sazh asked.

"Me, Diana, Free, Lydia, Hollow, Faith-" my hands flew to my head as I looked at Lydia and Hollow shocked "And Oak! How could I forget Oak?!"

"Easily done" Lydia muttered "She is a silent person, people easily forget about her" Hollow nodded her head in agreement.

"Wow, you have a big family" Vanille summed up while climbing a staircase "Must be nice, you know, to never get lonely"

"Unless someone has an after school club" I laughed. With all those siblings I sometimes sat alone in the house with they had art club or something.

"Wow!" Vanille's voice brought me back from my day-dreaming, and I agreed with her.

"Whoa" I mumbled walking alongside her before we both took off running.

"Stay close" Lightning told us, and even thought I heard her I was too distracted to register her words.

"I want to look around" Vanille replied to her.

"It's amazing isn't it? Oh, I want a camera" I started before Vanille started to scream. I barely had time to look in the direction she was before she pulled me away. It was when I heard a loud crash I decided I didn't want to know.

Then I tripped.

It's my first year of school all over again.

"GRACE!" Lydia screamed at the thing flew over me before circling and swooping down to attack.

_Ruin!_

The creature backed up giving me time to run away… again.

_Please don't trip again._

Then I tripped again.

This is why I don't rush when in panic!

"Oh for crying out loud!" I shouted in frustration "Help!"

The thing came at me again, ignoring Lydia's arrows, Sazh's bullets and Vanille's spells. I couldn't focus enough to fire a spell at it, and as far as I knew I was done for. It was then that a ball of fire was shot at it, and when it made impact the creature flew away smashing threw the crystal flames that blocked the path.

"It's charging up"

"Charging? What are you talking about? Charging for what?"

"Its last moments"

I didn't really get to see what happened next because of a white haired girl and silver haired boy dragged me away.

"Are you hurt?" Hope asked before looking down at the cut on my leg.

"It's just a scratch, I'll be fine" he healed it anyway, and as soon as he did, Hollow bear hugged me going on about how 'I shouldn't worry her like that'.

"It's safe!" Lydia called. All three of us came out and that's when I saw the ship.

"Check it out!" Vanille pointed at it.

"Come on hop to it, let's go" Sazh told us.

"Don't you find it strange for a ship to be here, of all places?" Lydia asked, and I got to say, I agree.

"Must have fell with the rest of us" Sazh commented.

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be damaged and/or on its side though" I started.

"You shouldn't be so negative" Vanille complained to me before grabbing my hand "Come on!"

**XOXOX**

_**Faith**_

We had barely cracked the surface of the lake when both me and Free grew tired. I tried to help as much as I could but it was hopeless. Snow was the only one digging at this point.

"Guys…" Free said slowly looking up. My gaze followed his just as three ships flew over our heads. I gasped when three more, but larger, ships came into view.

"That's not good" I mumbled. Snow didn't seem to care, just continued digging.

"_Sweep team to base, L'cie spotted, I repeat, L'cie spotted__" _search lights were shone on us, blinding me for a second "_Pulse L'cie confirmed_"

"You gonna lend us a hand or what?!" snow shouted at the standing. It was then that soldiers jumped down.

"_Commencing cleanup protocol_"

"Cleanup? Let me help" Snow then threw his piece of scrap metal into the group of soldiers, before following it, kicking one in the face as he landed. Free went to join in but I held him back.

"Shoot spells from here, Okay" I proceeded to shoot fire and aero spells at the lot. The unfortunate thing was that no matter how much we healed him or fought for him, Snow soon fell. However the strangest thing so far happened.

Soldiers were making their way forward to Snow and also aiming for us; however Snow's brand started to glow. A orb of what looked like ice formed in front of him covered in glowing symbols. It grew causing PSICOM to panic and the leader started shouting orders like crazy. It was then the orb exploded and in its place to women hovered. They killed all of the soldiers with one attack using magic and a… wheel.

"What's happening?" Snow mumbled at the two people turned to him.

"Snow!" Free shouted "Come on, we have to help him- look out!"

It was then that people grabbed my arms and forced me onto my knees. I could see more run past and grab Free, who struggled to the best of his ability.

"You're a wild one, aren't ya" a female voice came. The speaker walked over to Free "sleep tight" she swung her arm out to make contact with his head, which then dropped down after impact.

"Free!" I called "what did you do to him?"

"Calm down he's perfectly fine" she said. I studied her a second. Raven hair and dark green eyes, dark blue sash wrapped round her, purple claw earrings and necklace, bead necklace, armbands, tattoo, scars, bracelets, belt with fur pelts and tan sandal-boots. She didn't look like she belonged on Cocoon, and what didn't help was the Pulse L'cie brand on her right shoulder.

"You're a L'cie too, why help them?!"

"You don't need to worry about that, now how about you take a nap like your brother" she raised her arm again, and when it made contact I blacked out. 


	8. crash landing

_**Grace**_

"You sure you don't want to sit down?" Vanille asked look at me from the back of her seat "You can take my seat"

"I'm fine, really" I replied sitting down at the back of the ship with my back pressed against the wall. She gave me a concerned look before turning back around.

"You can take my seat if you want" Lydia told me, Hollow nodding from her place on Lydia's lap. I just gave them a look that said 'I'm fine'. I felt the ship be started up causing me to try to brace myself. The ship took off with such speed a smashed my head on the wall.

"OW!"

There was also the fact that we were flying straight up causing me to roll backwards onto the wall/now floor. I panicked when I heard alarms start to sound and even more so when what looked like giant laser cannon fires were shot at us. This equalled Sazh piloting the ship to avoid the shots by veering side to side, sending me flying.

"OW!"

"Aww no!" Sazh shouted after nearly getting hit.

"Give me that!" Lightning had somehow managed to run forward and grab the controls.

"What!?" I'm not sure what happened next, but I could hear a gun and explosion. However, coming out of the tunnel we were just in and flying back to normal angle caused me to fall on my face on the original floor

"Did we get 'em?" Vanille asked.

"We got one of them" Lightning replied as the flying from side to side continued.

"They're still behind us!" Hope shouted.

"Stop that" Sazh commanded but Lightning didn't listen and continued turning the ship. Everyone in the back started screaming as we almost got hit. "Hey, I said stop!" Sazh had now managed to pry Lightning off of the controls "you want to die?"

"How are you gonna lose them?" Hope asked.

"You've got me, kid!" Sazh replied.

"Then let me!" Lightning shouted.

"No thank you!" we flew out the top of what seemed like a canyon and into the sky, with Eden floating happily. At first I thought that we home free but then the ships came back into view. "They're still on us?"

"Why can't they just leave us alone" Hollow pouted. Sazh went into a dive but the enemies kept following, guns blazing.

"We're taking hits!" Sazh told us, spinning the ship. All I wanted to do at this point was throw up. We ended up in another canyon flying side to side, but not enough to crash. "Come on, give me a break!" One side of the canyon looked like it was blowing up because of the large wires attached and the bullets flying everywhere. "Hang on!" Sazh fired at the canyon wall ahead, giving use time to pass through, but the rock fell upon our followers. This was the point we sped up, flying away as quickly as possible.

"Grace, you still consensus?" Vanille asked before laughing at my position of leaning against the wall, upside down, the handles of my swords digging into my sides. It was also then I focused on my littlest sister, who was grinning and giggling at me and spoke…

"Do you wish you had sat down now?"

"Shut up" I replied attempting to stand "I hate flying"

Vanille giggled "I wouldn't blame you"

"Ah, for the love off that's good!" Sazh commented, catching my attention. I attempted to stand up and walk forward; however the turbulence caused me to fall over again.

"_Next, an update on the status of the Purge" _The news had turned on and everyone started to pay attention, even Hollow and that's saying something! "_Just moments ago, the sanctum announced the successful con conclusion of the Purge…"_

"They call that successful?" I said after crawling over to Hope's seat and watching the news over his shoulder. I made him jump, ha ha.

"_Along with the safe arrival of the Cocoon migrants to their new home on pulse"_

"LIES" Hollow pouted. Sazh changed the channel.

"_Yes, that is correct_"

"LIES"

"_There's no denying the enormity of the strain the Purge placed on us all. But given the tens of millions of lives at stake…"_

"LIE-" I looked over and saw that Lydia had covered Hollows mouth to stop her from shouting any more.

"_There truly was no alternative"_

"_Primarch Dysley stood by the move, stressing the necessity of the relocation. When asked about the possibility of future Purges, the Primarch remained noncommittal, stating only that he'd see counsel with the Fal'cie Eden and weigh all options before making a decision"_

"Wow, sounds like A great plan" I muttered sarcastically "Let's kick everyone out- Or kill them when you tell them you're going to kick them out! Then lie to whoever's left!"

Sazh nodded his head "If it makes the sanctum look bad, it never even happened" he changed the channel again but Vanille changed it back.

"_In all the centuries since the war of transgression, Cocoon has been spared Pulse aggression, and prospered for it. It is essential that we maintain this peace, that is the sanctum's focus. We will continue employing every resource available to combat the threats to the harmony of our society"_

"Meaning, we'll be running for the rest of our lives" Sazh summed up.

"Hey" Vanille said and got a 'hmmm' in return "Umm, who is this guy?" she motioned to the now muted Primarch on the screen. Sazh let out a very heavy sigh.

"I mean, what do they teach kids these days?" Sazh corrected himself.

"That is Primarch Galenth Dysley, the one in charge of the sanctum" Lydia told her "He's the one who ordered the purge"

"Murderer-in-chief" Sazh said quietly.

"_According to our insta-poll…"_

"Just another tool of the Fal'cie" Lightning added as the sound came back on for the news.

"…_Nearly ninety percent of Cocoon citizens agree with the Sanctum's handling of the Purge. Seventy percent of respondents said they would also support additional Purges were the need to arise"_

"Let's Purge everybody, that'll fix it!" both me and Sazh shouted.

"Jinx! You owe me a soda!" I shouted at him. I saw him smile slightly before an alarm sounded and a red light started to flash. They were never good.

The sound of gunfire started outside causing me to look out the window.

"They're back! Really!" I shouted in disbelief

"Points for perseverance!" Sazh replied as the little chocobo chick popped out his afro. Said chick instantly dived back in while the rest of us got blinded.

"Ahhhh, too bright, too bright!" I heard Hollow shout.

"Wow" Vanille mumbled, obviously looking at something incredible. Does this mean I can open my eyes now? Not going to risk it.

"A Sanctum Fal'cie up close and personal. Cocoon's own light in the sky" Sazh . Everyone grunted and I tried to stay on my feet as the ship rocked dew to an impact. Luckily I had something to hang onto this time "Here we go again"

"Fly in!" I heard lightning say. Fly in where? I'm still not going to open my eyes "We'll lose them in there". The ship kept rocking side to side and soon an explosion sounded behind us.

"I like this Fal'cie!" Sazh shouted.

"There's more of 'em!" Vanille told him.

Only a few seconds later did an explosion sound and the ship jolt forward. It's only when I started to fall forwards did I open my eyes.

We were going to crash.

**XOXOX**

I got knocked out during the crash and woke up to a panicking Vanille shaking me.

"Wake up, wake up!" she shouted, not registering the fact that I was awake.

"Whoa, I'm up, I'm up" I replied, lightly slapping her hands away. She quickly crawled over to Lydia and hollow and woke them up to.

"Look!" she pointed in front of us where Lightning was fighting a handful of Pantheron by herself.

"Hey, slow down!" Vanille ran over to Lightning followed by Sazh. Hollow got dropped beside as Lydia went to help.

_Do they really need that many people to fight only four Pantheron?_

The fight only took a couple of seconds.

Vanille sighed in relief "Glad that's over" both she and Sazh sat down and rested as Lydia walked back to Hollow.

"You alright?" She asked Hollow, who nodded her head.

"What, no break?" Sazh asked Lightning as she walked past him.

"They're tracking us" she replied simply, stopping.

"I know that" Sazh returned "I know that, but we aren't soldiers, we don't have your kind of stamina"

"You've got enough to complain" Lightning continued to walk and I ran to catch up.

"Oh that's- Forget it!" I heard Sazh shout at us.

A roller-like-thing stood in our way. Lightning jumped on top of it before crouching and reached an arm out to help me up. I top it and tried to find any possible footholds before climbing up. Both of us jumped off the other side, Lightning gracefully, me not so much. My knees buckled as I landed while I though how ironic my name was.

**XOXOX**

_**Hollow**_

Lightning and Grace walked on ahead and I looked between them and the others.

Lydia sat down next to Vanille sighing. I knew she wanted me to stay wither her, but I want to go ahead. But I can't go alone, and those two are probably good way away.

"I think…um" Hope started.

"I'd stick with her if I were you" Sazh told him. I can go with Hope!

"Later, then" Hope started to run away and I looked at Lydia. She was staring in the opposite direction. I quickly ran after Hope hoping Lydia didn't see me.

**XOXOX**

_**Lydia**_

I knew Hollow had run off, I could still see her.

"She really is an annoyance to look after" I muttered.

"I bet" Sazh Commented "How old is she anyway?"

"Six"

Sazh whistled "She's way too young for this mess" I smiled.

"She's a tough kid, Oak was the more sensitive"

"Come on, let's get going" Vanille interrupted standing up.

"Where?" I asked looking back over at Hollow and Hope. Hope was trying to climb over some sort of engine I guess.

"The whole of Cocoon's against us" Sazh continued "No matter how far we run, there's no escape. That Cie'th clock, it's still a-tickin'"

Hope had finished climbing and was now trying to help Hollow up and over, the girl in question jumping up trying to grab his arm due to her size.

"There's still time" Vanille tried to cheer Sazh up. I nodded my head. "You give up to easy old man!"

"I'm not giving up, but there are some things that you just can't change. A kid like you would not understand"

"Yeah, I'm a kid! I don't understand!" I laughed as Vanille turned around and crossed her arms annoyed.

"Well I guess we can be fugitives together" Sazh went to stand up but slipped and almost fell over. "You ready?" he asked both of us.

"Ready!" was Vanille's reply.

"Good to go" I told them. We went to move and Vanille pushed Sazh along laughing.

"Whoa, stop that" he told her.

"Oh!" Vanille sounded as we were about to go and climb over the engine, but said object rolled down and destroyed the pathway. "Oh no"

"End of the road" Sazh shook his head.

"But at least it's not the end of the line!" Vanille countered.

**XOXOX**

_**Grace**_

Me and Lightning walked along in silence, my attention focused on the many bit a pieces of technology. I want to know what all this stuff does!

"How right you were, Lieutenant" Lightning muttered out of the blue while looking unfocused. That's strange, she's always focused.

"Hm, something you want to say?" I asked. She looked at me confused.

"What?"

"You looked like you were daydreaming and mumbled something, what's wrong?"

She gave me irritated look "It's none of your business" I held up my hands in surrender.

"Okay"

"Just you?" Lightning suddenly commented looking over her shoulder. I turned around and saw Hope walking towards us followed by Hollow. Again weird. I thought she would have stayed with Lydia.

"For now, I guess" he replied "Should we wait"

"They'll catch up, eventually" Lightning resumed walking with Hope and Hollow following, however I didn't. I heard something creak multiply times before a somewhat loud splash.

What just happened?


End file.
